diff --git a/app/server/lib/FlexServer.ts b/app/server/lib/FlexServer.ts
index 73c4008e..04c31971 100644
--- a/app/server/lib/FlexServer.ts
+++ b/app/server/lib/FlexServer.ts
@@ -1132,7 +1132,6 @@ export class FlexServer implements GristServer {
     await this.loadConfig();
     this.addComm();
 
-    await this.create.configure?.();
     if (!isSingleUserMode()) {
       const externalStorage = appSettings.section('externalStorage');
       const haveExternalStorage = Object.values(externalStorage.nested)
@@ -1143,6 +1142,7 @@ export class FlexServer implements GristServer {
         this._disableExternalStorage = true;
         externalStorage.flag('active').set(false);
       }
+      await this.create.configure?.();
       const workers = this._docWorkerMap;
       const docWorkerId = await this._addSelfAsWorker(workers);
 
diff --git a/app/server/lib/ICreate.ts b/app/server/lib/ICreate.ts
index b49942fd..f876fa9c 100644
--- a/app/server/lib/ICreate.ts
+++ b/app/server/lib/ICreate.ts
@@ -50,6 +50,7 @@ export interface ICreateActiveDocOptions {
 export interface ICreateStorageOptions {
   name: string;
   check(): boolean;
+  checkBackend?(): Promise<void>;
   create(purpose: 'doc'|'meta', extraPrefix: string): ExternalStorage|undefined;
 }
 
@@ -119,7 +120,10 @@ export function makeSimpleCreator(opts: {
     },
     async configure() {
       for (const s of storage || []) {
-        if (s.check()) { break; }
+        if (s.check()) {
+          await s.checkBackend?.();
+          break;
+        }
       }
     },
     ...(opts.shell && {
diff --git a/app/server/lib/MinIOExternalStorage.ts b/app/server/lib/MinIOExternalStorage.ts
index dafa738a..fe70ea4b 100644
--- a/app/server/lib/MinIOExternalStorage.ts
+++ b/app/server/lib/MinIOExternalStorage.ts
@@ -107,6 +107,11 @@ export class MinIOExternalStorage implements ExternalStorage {
     }
   }
 
+  public async hasVersioning(): Promise<Boolean> {
+    const versioning = await this._s3.getBucketVersioning(this.bucket);
+    return versioning && versioning.Status === 'Enabled';
+  }
+
   public async versions(key: string, options?: { includeDeleteMarkers?: boolean }) {
     const results: minio.BucketItem[] = [];
     await new Promise((resolve, reject) => {
diff --git a/app/server/lib/configureMinIOExternalStorage.ts b/app/server/lib/configureMinIOExternalStorage.ts
index c34a4755..2cac4d2c 100644
--- a/app/server/lib/configureMinIOExternalStorage.ts
+++ b/app/server/lib/configureMinIOExternalStorage.ts
@@ -60,3 +60,16 @@ export function checkMinIOExternalStorage() {
     region
   };
 }
+
+export async function checkMinIOBucket() {
+  const options = checkMinIOExternalStorage();
+  if (!options) {
+    throw new Error('Configuration check failed for MinIO backend storage.');
+  }
+
+  const externalStorage = new MinIOExternalStorage(options.bucket, options);
+  if (!await externalStorage.hasVersioning()) {
+    await externalStorage.close();
+    throw new Error(`FATAL: the MinIO bucket "${options.bucket}" does not have versioning enabled`);
+  }
+}
diff --git a/app/server/mergedServerMain.ts b/app/server/mergedServerMain.ts
index cee69713..6b640542 100644
--- a/app/server/mergedServerMain.ts
+++ b/app/server/mergedServerMain.ts
@@ -106,45 +106,50 @@ export async function main(port: number, serverTypes: ServerType[],
   server.addApiMiddleware();
   await server.addBillingMiddleware();
 
-  await server.start();
+  try {
+    await server.start();
 
-  if (includeHome) {
-    server.addUsage();
-    if (!includeDocs) {
-      server.addDocApiForwarder();
+    if (includeHome) {
+      server.addUsage();
+      if (!includeDocs) {
+        server.addDocApiForwarder();
+      }
+      server.addJsonSupport();
+      await server.addLandingPages();
+      // todo: add support for home api to standalone app
+      server.addHomeApi();
+      server.addBillingApi();
+      server.addNotifier();
+      await server.addTelemetry();
+      await server.addHousekeeper();
+      await server.addLoginRoutes();
+      server.addAccountPage();
+      server.addBillingPages();
+      server.addWelcomePaths();
+      server.addLogEndpoint();
+      server.addGoogleAuthEndpoint();
+      server.addInstallEndpoints();
     }
-    server.addJsonSupport();
-    await server.addLandingPages();
-    // todo: add support for home api to standalone app
-    server.addHomeApi();
-    server.addBillingApi();
-    server.addNotifier();
-    await server.addTelemetry();
-    await server.addHousekeeper();
-    await server.addLoginRoutes();
-    server.addAccountPage();
-    server.addBillingPages();
-    server.addWelcomePaths();
-    server.addLogEndpoint();
-    server.addGoogleAuthEndpoint();
-    server.addInstallEndpoints();
+
+    if (includeDocs) {
+      server.addJsonSupport();
+      await server.addTelemetry();
+      await server.addDoc();
+    }
+
+    if (includeHome) {
+      server.addClientSecrets();
+    }
+
+    server.finalize();
+
+    server.checkOptionCombinations();
+    server.summary();
+    return server;
+  } catch(e) {
+    await server.close();
+    throw e;
   }
-
-  if (includeDocs) {
-    server.addJsonSupport();
-    await server.addTelemetry();
-    await server.addDoc();
-  }
-
-  if (includeHome) {
-    server.addClientSecrets();
-  }
-
-  server.finalize();
-
-  server.checkOptionCombinations();
-  server.summary();
-  return server;
 }
 
 
diff --git a/package.json b/package.json
index f0c5f83b..c104212d 100644
--- a/package.json
+++ b/package.json
@@ -1,6 +1,6 @@
 {
   "name": "grist-core",
-  "version": "1.1.1",
+  "version": "1.1.2",
   "license": "Apache-2.0",
   "description": "Grist is the evolution of spreadsheets",
   "homepage": "https://github.com/gristlabs/grist-core",
@@ -13,8 +13,8 @@
     "install:python3": "buildtools/prepare_python3.sh",
     "build:prod": "buildtools/build.sh",
     "start:prod": "sandbox/run.sh",
-    "test": "GRIST_SESSION_COOKIE=grist_test_cookie GRIST_TEST_LOGIN=1 TEST_SUPPORT_API_KEY=api_key_for_support TEST_CLEAN_DATABASE=true mocha ${DEBUG:+-b --no-exit} --slow 8000 ${DEBUG:---forbid-only} -g \"${GREP_TESTS}\" '_build/test/common/*.js' '_build/test/client/*.js' '_build/test/nbrowser/*.js' '_build/test/server/**/*.js' '_build/test/gen-server/**/*.js'",
-    "test:nbrowser": "TEST_SUITE=nbrowser TEST_SUITE_FOR_TIMINGS=nbrowser TIMINGS_FILE=test/timings/nbrowser.txt GRIST_SESSION_COOKIE=grist_test_cookie GRIST_TEST_LOGIN=1 TEST_SUPPORT_API_KEY=api_key_for_support TEST_CLEAN_DATABASE=true mocha ${DEBUG:+-b --no-exit} ${DEBUG:---forbid-only} -g \"${GREP_TESTS}\" --slow 8000 -R test/xunit-file '_build/test/nbrowser/**/*.js'",
+    "test": "GRIST_SESSION_COOKIE=grist_test_cookie GRIST_TEST_LOGIN=1 TEST_SUPPORT_API_KEY=api_key_for_support TEST_CLEAN_DATABASE=true mocha ${DEBUG:+-b --no-exit} --slow 8000 $([ -z $DEBUG ] && echo --forbid-only) -g \"${GREP_TESTS}\" '_build/test/common/*.js' '_build/test/client/*.js' '_build/test/nbrowser/*.js' '_build/test/server/**/*.js' '_build/test/gen-server/**/*.js'",
+    "test:nbrowser": "TEST_SUITE=nbrowser TEST_SUITE_FOR_TIMINGS=nbrowser TIMINGS_FILE=test/timings/nbrowser.txt GRIST_SESSION_COOKIE=grist_test_cookie GRIST_TEST_LOGIN=1 TEST_SUPPORT_API_KEY=api_key_for_support TEST_CLEAN_DATABASE=true mocha ${DEBUG:+-b --no-exit} $([ -z $DEBUG ] && echo --forbid-only) -g \"${GREP_TESTS}\" --slow 8000 -R test/xunit-file '_build/test/nbrowser/**/*.js'",
     "test:client": "GRIST_SESSION_COOKIE=grist_test_cookie mocha ${DEBUG:+'-b'} '_build/test/client/**/*.js'",
     "test:common": "GRIST_SESSION_COOKIE=grist_test_cookie mocha ${DEBUG:+'-b'} '_build/test/common/**/*.js'",
     "test:server": "TEST_SUITE=server TEST_SUITE_FOR_TIMINGS=server TIMINGS_FILE=test/timings/server.txt GRIST_SESSION_COOKIE=grist_test_cookie mocha ${DEBUG:+'-b'} -R test/xunit-file '_build/test/server/**/*.js' '_build/test/gen-server/**/*.js'",
@@ -190,11 +190,13 @@
     "@gristlabs/sqlite3": "5.1.4-grist.8"
   },
   "mocha": {
-    "require": ["test/setupPaths",
-                "source-map-support/register",
-                "test/report-why-tests-hang",
-                "test/init-mocha-webdriver",
-                "test/split-tests",
-                "test/chai-as-promised"]
+    "require": [
+      "test/setupPaths",
+      "source-map-support/register",
+      "test/report-why-tests-hang",
+      "test/init-mocha-webdriver",
+      "test/split-tests",
+      "test/chai-as-promised"
+    ]
   }
 }
diff --git a/stubs/app/server/lib/create.ts b/stubs/app/server/lib/create.ts
index 98c11b52..370d0c5a 100644
--- a/stubs/app/server/lib/create.ts
+++ b/stubs/app/server/lib/create.ts
@@ -1,4 +1,4 @@
-import { checkMinIOExternalStorage,
+import { checkMinIOBucket, checkMinIOExternalStorage,
          configureMinIOExternalStorage } from 'app/server/lib/configureMinIOExternalStorage';
 import { makeSimpleCreator } from 'app/server/lib/ICreate';
 import { Telemetry } from 'app/server/lib/Telemetry';
@@ -12,6 +12,7 @@ export const create = makeSimpleCreator({
     {
       name: 'minio',
       check: () => checkMinIOExternalStorage() !== undefined,
+      checkBackend: () => checkMinIOBucket(),
       create: configureMinIOExternalStorage,
     },
   ],
diff --git a/stubs/app/server/server.ts b/stubs/app/server/server.ts
index dc462275..9ea30b40 100644
--- a/stubs/app/server/server.ts
+++ b/stubs/app/server/server.ts
@@ -117,5 +117,7 @@ export async function main() {
 }
 
 if (require.main === module) {
-  main().catch((err) => console.error(err));
+  main().catch((err) => {
+    console.error(err);
+  });
 }